Ice-cutting machine



m. e e h S 4 (No Model.)

Patented Aug.,6, 1895..

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M. FEY. IGE'GUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

' 4 Sheets -Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

M. PEY. ICE CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 6,1895.

vawtoz m 33:1 Gite mm 6 (No, Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

' M. PE Y. ICE CUTTING MACHINE. No. 544,163. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

ATTORNEYS.

' UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN FEY, on TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA;

ICE-CUTTIINQMACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 544,163, dated August6, 1895.

Application filed October 3, 18 93.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN FEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Tamaqua, in the county of'Schuylkill and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inIce-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompany-v ing drawings.

My invention pertains particularly to the means for guiding the machineand forcutting ice-blocks of different widths.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, andwherein likeletters indicate corresponding parts in the several views,in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of machine constructed andarranged to embody my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation ofthe same. Fig. 3 shows a vertical longitudinal section taken on the lineat of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a similar view taken on the line y y of Fig. 1,and Fig. is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 2 z of Fig. 1.Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the construction of the cutter. Fig. 7is a perspective view of that portion of the machine which guides thelatter and determines the width of the ice-blocks cut by it.

' Inthe drawings, A denotes a carrying-frame which is supported at therear by a swiveled caster or wheel, and B the main shaft of axle mountedin suitable bearings adjacent the forward end of the frame andprojecting at each side, with the ends reduced to form spindles for thewheels 0 G. On the inner faces of the hubs of these wheels ratchet-teetho c are formed, (see Fig. 5,) and are engaged by spring-actuated pawlsb, seated in recesses 19 of the collars b which latter are suitablyfixed to-revolve with the shaft. Thus as the ma-' chine moves'rearwardly the wheels will revolve loosely on the shaft, for thepurpose to be hereinafter described.

Between the longitudinally-disposed beams a a of the frame and revolvingloosely on the shaft B is a drive sprocket-wheel D, from which motion istransmitted to the cutter E through intermediate gearing consisting of asprocket-pinion d keyed on a short shaft 01 which is mounted in suitablebearings and carries a large gear d Serial No. 487,076- (No model.)

This gear works in a pinion e on the cutter-shaft o The shaft e isrotatably mounted in bearings e -formed at or near the extremities ofthe arms e which areloosely secured on the shaft .di'so as to swingfreely when lowered or raised by means of the operating-lever e Theextremities of the shaft 6 project beyond the bearings andenter-segmental guides e, which are located on either side of thecutter, and serve to. hold the shaft firmly and prevent sagging: orswaying. A notched bar c is also provided, into which the lever 6 may beplaced when the cutter has been properly adjusted.

The cutter E is keyed to revolve with the shaft, and consists of a diske having one face'thereof adjacent the circumference cut away to formanannular shoulder e", against which the shanks of the teeth e abut. Eachof these teeth is formed with a fiat tapering shank e rabbeted onopposite sides and overlapping to form a locking connection between theteeth when in position on the disk, where they are secured either byrivets or bolts. The important advantage of having the teeth separatelydetachable will be at once apparent, owing to the comparative ease andconvenience in replacing broken or fractured teeth.

The means for guiding the machine and determining the width of theice-blocks to be cut'are as follows, reference being had particularly toFig. 7: 'lransversely of the frame and at each side of the cuttermechanism duplicate pairs of slotted bars f f are secured and supportedon depending framesf f Directly beneath these bars f and parallelthereto are placed two similarly-slotted bars f 3 f and se cured to thevertical portions of the depending frames f Thus there is a set ofslotted parallel bars f and f at each end of the frame on each side ofthe cutter, and one set is parallel to'the other on the same side of themachine. Each set of slotted bars f f serves as a horizontal transverseguide for a vertical bar f whose ends are secured to blocks f that slidein contact with said bars f f and are clamped thereto adjustably bymeans of screw-bolts. These vertical bars f are grooved on their inneropposite sides to pro vide guideways for the horizontal bar f whichcarries the depending guides f. The

latter are thin plates, arranged parallel and in line withthelongitudinal axis of the machine. They enter a cut or kerf in the iceand thus guide the machine. As a means for adjusting the said barf andguides f vertically I employ the chainf and levery, whose arrangement isapparent from the drawings. The lever is held at any required angle-11a,in any adjustment-by a notched or ratchet bar f which is secured invertical position on the upper side of the frame.

From the foregoing description it is apparcut the bars f may be adjustedlaterally to place the guides f nearer to or farther from the cutter forvarying the width of cut made by the machine, and that the guides may beraised and held above the surface of the ice or lowered to a greater orless depth in a kerf therein, as conditions may require.

The operation of the machine is as follows: It being understood that thefirst ,cut or kerf is necessarily made in the ice by some wellknownmeans-such as, for example, an iceplow-assuming that the cutter iselevated, so as to clearthe surface of the ice, the clutch G on the mainshaft shifted or thrown out of engage ment to disconnect thesprocket-wheel D, the guides are adjusted and the machine placed inproper position-that is, with one set of guides j iowered into the kerfor cut 0. The clutch is then thrown to connect the sprocket drivewheelD, and as the machine moves forward the cutter. is lowered and rapidlysinks into the ice unless adjusted by the driver. On

arriving at the end of the pond or cut the guides and cutter areelevated, and owing to the pawl-and-ratchet connection between the hubsof the traction-wheels it is possible to make a very short turn, sinceone wheel will be locked and thus act as a pivot around which the entireniac'hin'e swings. After the turn has been made the opposite set ofguides are lowered,as above described, into the kerf just made and theclutch is again shifted to lock the drive-wheel D, and as the machinemoves forward the cutter is again lowered.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ice-cutting machine, the combination with the cutter, of adependent frame arranged alongside the same, vertical guide posts whichare adjustable laterally in the frame or toward and from the cutter, ahori zontal bar which is slidable vertically on such posts, andvertical, aligned guides which are attached to and pendent from saidhorizontal bar, and adapted to run in a kerf or cut in the ice,substantially as shown and described.

2. In an ice cutting machine, the combination with the cutter, of aframe arranged alongside the same, and having two sets of horizontalparallel and slotted bars fixed at each end of such frame, a verticaland grooved guide post secured between the two slotted bars of each pairmeans for clamping and holding the posts fixed in any lateraladjustment, a horizontal bar extending between the posts and adapted foradjustment vertically thereon, aligned guides pendent from such bar andadapted to run in a kerf or cut in the ice, and means for raising andlowering theguides, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN FEY.

\Vitnesses:

ROY L. WmTcoMB, J O. ULRICH.

